SYSTEMS, METHODS, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING PACKET-LEVEL FEC WITH HIGHER THROUGHPUT USING USER DATAGRAM PROTOCOL (UDP)

• US 20080244001A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KenCast Inc.
• Original Assignee: KenCast Inc.
• Inventors: Fang, Weimin
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method and system for data delivery from a server to a client is provided. The server maintains a session counter and transmits data to a client at a transmission speed. The server receives a message from the client indicating a percentage of packets lost in a current session and compares the percentage of packets lost to a predefined range of packet loss, and modifies the transmission speed based on the comparison. Forward Error Correction (FEC) may be used to reconstruct the lost packets.

Claims

1. A method for data delivery by a server, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a session counter;

transmitting data to a client at a transmission speed;

receiving a message from the client indicating a percentage of packets lost in a current session; and

comparing the percentage of packets lost to a predefined range of packet loss.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is within the predefined range, incrementing the session counter and transmitting additional data at the transmission speed.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is less than the predefined range, increasing the transmission speed to an increased transmission speed, incrementing the session counter, and transmitting additional data at the increased transmission speed.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the increased transmission speed is the transmission speed plus a transmission speed change amount based on feedback information from the client.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is greater than the predefined range, decreasing the transmission speed to a decreased transmission speed, incrementing the session counter, and transmitting additional data at the decreased transmission speed.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the decreased transmission speed is decreased proportionally based on the percentage of packets lost.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving from the client a termination request message; and

terminating transmission of data based on the termination request message.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the termination request message identifies a reason for terminating transmission.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the server has not received the message from the client before a predefined time interval, terminating the transmission.

10. A server for delivering data to a client, comprising:

a session counter;

a transmitter operable to transmit data to a client at a transmission speed;

a receiver operable to receive a message from the client indicating a percentage of packets lost in a current session; and

a comparator operable to compare the percentage of packets lost to a predefined range of packet loss.

11. A server according to claim 10, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is within the predefined range, the session counter is incremented and the transmitter transmits additional data at the transmission speed.

12. A server according to claim 10, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is less than the predefined range, the session counter incremented, and the transmitter increases the transmission speed to an increased transmission speed and transmits additional data at the increased transmission speed.

13. A server according to claim 12, wherein the increased transmission speed is the transmission speed plus a transmission speed change amount based on feedback information from the client.

14. A server according to claim 10, wherein if the percentage of packets lost is greater than the predefined range, the session counter is incremented, and the transmitter decreases the transmission speed to a decreased transmission speed and transmits additional data at the decreased transmission speed.

15. A server according to claim 14, wherein the decreased transmission speed is decreased proportionally based on the percentage of packets lost.

16. A server according to claim 10, wherein the transmitter is further operable to receive from the client a termination request message and the transmitter is further operable to terminate transmission of data based on the termination request message.

17. A server according to claim 16, wherein the termination request message identifies a reason for terminating transmission

18. A server according to claim 10, wherein if the server has not received the message from the client before a predefined time interval, the transmitter terminates the transmission.